Oyster Gray Grout

We are inching along here in my kitchen, making progress bit by bit! And of course, when I say “we” I mean the contractors. Even though I have contractors doing much of the work, I’m busily supervising, making more decisions and even changing my mind sometimes as they are working. They love that.

So today it is time for another little iphone update on how things are coming along!

The grout went in for my subway tile yesterday and I’m very happy with the color! It is impossible to really judge how things will look in the kitchen because obviously the cabinets and trim are not painted yet and there are dozens of little things still left to do and add that will continue to alter the overall look. But, nevertheless, progress is fun and nothing has gone terribly astray yet!

I’ve had a few questions about the grout color we were going with so I thought I might as well talk about that now since we just had ours put in yesterday. I really wanted a bit of a gray tone, but nothing cold or dark. The color we ended up with is called Oyster Gray #386 from Polyblend.

I prefer a pretty tiny grout line because it makes it easy to keep the grout looking clean and it is easier on the eyes. Because I like a little texture and a little age to my grout, Oyster Gray works perfectly to achieve both. It is a very pleasant grayish color, kind of reminds me of my Studio Taupe wall color.

If you are at all concerned about grout getting dirty in a kitchen, there is really no need to worry! A small grout line, a color other than white, and a grout sealer pretty much make grout issues non-existant. Even if you go with white and a grout sealer, it really isn’t that hard to clean!

Danze Faucet

Yesterday we also had our faucet installed! I LOVE IT! The faucet brand is Danze and the quality is really nice. I’m waiting for a new faucet for our water filter so that is still stainless (it is actually out of the picture.) That little gizmo to the right of my faucet is something to do with the dishwasher and I have no clue what it is. I’ve never had one before? And also, my dishwasher couldn’t be installed yesterday because of a broken hose. Delays. Oh well.

I will admit the faucet is not as substantial feeling as the Rohl (the one I had in my last house) but the cost difference was so significant I’m going to be happy as a clam with this beautiful lady. I’ll talk about mixing finishes in this kitchen more in a future post, but the faucet is chrome, basically because I like shiny and wanted a bit of bling at the sink. My existing appliances are stainless and for budget reasons, they are staying. We didn’t go with nickel for our faucet because of the added cost, even though that is really my favorite. Everything doesn’t have to be my ultimate favorite for me to be happy with it, I’m definitely trying to keep costs under control and cutting where I can compromise.

Zephyr Hood

And lastly, we are part way done with the vent hood installation! It still has its white plastic protective film on it which makes it look different so that is NOT what it will look like (it is stainless, not white and no wires will be sticking out). The metal box that goes around the pipe thing there isn’t on so this is just a progress picture. Wednesday they are hooking up the electrical so it will work!

The hood vent is a Zephyr, same brand as my other house. Only this one is bit smaller than my last one (this one is a 30 inch) because my cooktop is smaller in this house and it was the size that didn’t require more holes in my ceiling and walls. Again, trying to keep this project from adding up with too many extra costs wherever I can! It is important to get a hood vent at least the size of your range so don’t get one too small just to save costs, it won’t be worth it in the end.

I really like the low profile of this hood (even though it is exposed and not encased in cabinetry) and am happy it doesn’t overwhelm tile wall. It still has that industrial kitchen kind of look without being enormous. There will be nothing else on that tile wall, I want it to be as clean and uncluttered as possible. I can always add accessories later but for now I just want a clean slate!

So, tomorrow they finish up the vent, hopefully my dishwasher will get installed this week and then I’m waiting on a painter! There will be lots more to work in though addition to the cabinet paint (cabinet hardware, window shades, wall paint, the pantry, the floors, the freestanding island, installing the sconces and more work in the family room).

Feels like the finish line is still a long ways off but basically my kitchen is getting close to being functional again with a sink, stove and dishwasher! And the next leg of the journey will be kind of fun, right? I love the finishing details.

I’ll be back soon with more updates! Right now I’m finalizing the color of the cabinet paint and deciding on the hardware! I’ll do a post on that too! Thanks for following along! You can read back to all the previous kitchen renovation updates here.

*UPDATE* See the reveal (and all sources) of this finished kitchen HERE! (preview above)

That round thing is an air gap. It helps prevent dirty water and/or raw sewage from backing up into your dishwasher (from your sink). In some states/municipalities it is code and in other places it isn’t. Often they let you install a drain line “loop” which would prevent the same thing (and you don’t have that ugly thing on your counter) but that isn’t legal some places. It is usually mandatory if you have a garbage disposal vs. a regular old drain.

The other bonus is that if your dishwasher drain ever clogs, the dirty water will spit out of that little round thing and into your sink instead of leaking all over your floor!

I recently installed a dishwasher and let me tell you.. I learned more about air gaps than I ever needed to know! :D

Hi Melissa! How exciting! I’m loving the look so far. And I bet you are so happy to have your kitchen come this far. We are in the process of redoing our kitchen too. Painting walls, cabinets, the kitchen island…all of it. We cook so much for church functions our kitchen has had too much wear and tear to survive. So we are going for a new look too. I’m so happy to finally be doing something so I can relate to your happiness. I like everything you are doing. It looks wonderful.
Blessings,
Debbie

Melissa, Thank you for taking the time to share your kitchen remodel. It is very helpful to see how colors play out especially things like grout which can be difficult to choose. Once it’s done, it’s done so fingers are crossed that the color will work. You did great! Have a sweet day!

I see Kim let you know about the dishwasher air gap. One more important tip to note…always be sure the little holes in the cover are facing the sink! If your dishwasher ever gets clogged and cannot drain properly the water will drain from this line and hopefully into your sink. We had this issue a while back and the air gap cover was turned toward the counter and created quite a wet mess!!
I am loving that subway tile wall…and love the oyster gray grout color too!

The grey grout looks fantastic. Last month we had our hall tiled and used this colour grout as well. In our case, the tiles are black. The grey goes well with them. It’s surprising it goes well with lighter tiles too.

I love it when the details start coming together, too!! Everything is coming together nicely!!!
How is my week? It’s nice of you to ask. Volunteered a lot of hours this week. It’s all good. BUT…my 3 year old laptop quit last night. I might get to squeeze in a few minutes on my husband’s laptop….like I just did here…but it’s his busy time of year. Unfortunately I won’t be able to get it in the shop right away either….we have a huge car repair that’s first in the money line. Ugh. Somewhere there’s good in this too. Working on that trust walk and a thankful heart. :D

Hi Melissa! We start on our kitchen remodel tomorrow and the one thing I haven’t picked out yet is my white subway tile. I’m also planning to take it to the ceiling. Loving your grout color (thanks for the tip) and wondering where you bought your tile. What shade of white did you go with and are they the standard 3×6? I’m in the PDX area and will be checking out Daltile and Pratt & Larson this week-end. My cabinets will be painted a warm white (BM Mascarpone) with mix of wood and soapstone counters. Do you have a recommendation?

Can’t wait to see the finished kitchen. soon,I hope, I will be remodeling my kitchen. We are in desperate need of good new cabinets that close. Would like to pick out new countertops, backsplash, flooring, railing, and appliances. Be nice to have something “we” picked out and not what “they”-exwife and hubby- picked out!

Thank you so much for always sharing the details of your home. We are getting ready to build our dream farmhouse, and the details are overwhelming. The options are endless! Your home is one of my favorite inspiration homes and your source list is one of my go-to places for help. Thank you!

Hello, I have just installed subway tile in my kitchen with a gray grout. My question is this. Did your contractors caulk where the tile meets the counter tops. If so, what color did they use? Also where the tile meets a painted wall. Would you use a paintable grout to match the wall?

I love the Oyster Gray color and am considering it for my kitchen but the majority of my house is Harvest Brown paint by Behr. My counters are black with a bit of taupe in them and I am wondering if the Oyster Gray has enough brown color so that it does not clash with my walls…..

Hello! I am currently remodeling my kitchen as well, using your’s as an inspiration! Everything is going great so far. Question about the grout color: what made you choose oyster gray? My contractor is pushing for Delorean gray, saying that oyster gray will look like concrete. But I’m afraid the Delorean gray will be too dark and create too much contrast. Both my upper and lower cabinets will be Behr Flannel Gray.

Welcome! I'm Melissa Michaels. I created The Inspired Room in 2007 to inspire women to fall in love with the home they have. Ten years later, I'm still here doing my thing and loving every minute of it. I'm so glad YOU are here!